November 27, 2007 - Medical imaging software maker Merge Healthcare announced its teleradiology division was awarded the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval by demonstrating compliance with the commission’s national standard for healthcare quality and safety.

On Nov. 20 Merge introduced a new teleradiology application called Merge TeleRead and a new teleradiology service, Consult PreReads, an image prereading service of its newly formed Merge Healthcare Teleradiology division. Consult PreReads are provided by skilled remotely-based radiologists.

Founded in 1951, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations seeks to continuously improve the safety and quality of care provided to the public through the provision of healthcare accreditation and related services that support performance improvement in healthcare organizations. The Joint Commission evaluates and accredits more than 15,000 healthcare organizations and programs in the United States, including more than 7,800 hospitals and home care organizations and more than 7,300 other healthcare organizations that provide long-term care, assisted living, behavioral healthcare, laboratory, and ambulatory care services.